Boston bombing suspects' Md. uncle: Motivation was self-hatred

Uncle Ruslan Tsarni rejects any connection between bombings, Islam

An uncle of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects who lives in Maryland made an impassioned plea Friday for his youngest nephew to turn himself in, ask for forgiveness and rejected any suggestion that Monday's bombings were related to Islam.

Officials confirmed Friday that Tamerlan Tsarnaev, a bombing suspect, was killed in a gun battle with police in Massachusetts overnight. He is the older brother of Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev, 19, a second suspect, for whom authorities are currently searching for in a massive manhunt -- shutting down the city of Boston.

Maryland State Police were preparing to post Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's photo on electronic message boards on highways as a precaution should he be headed south.

Ruslan Tsarni, of Montgomery Village in Montgomery County, told 11 News I-Team lead investigative reporter Jayne Miller that the brothers were born in Kyrgyzstan, a Russian region near Chechnya, and lived together in Cambridge, Mass. Tsarni said he hasn't seen them since 2009 and hadn't talked to the family in months.

Tsarni said the suspects' family had been in the U.S. since 2003 and received asylum, settling in the Cambridge area. He said his brother -- the suspects' father -- moved back to Russia recently.

FBI and police began interviewing Tsarni and his family early Friday. In front of reporters, Tsarni pleaded with Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to turn himself in.

"Dzhokhar, if you're alive, turn yourself in and ask for forgiveness from the victims, from the injured, and from those who loved (them). Ask forgiveness from these people," he said.

The uncle said he has been following the story from the beginning and expressed his sympathy for the victims in the bombings. He said he was also shocked when he said he learned of his nephews' involvement.

"I never ever would image that somehow, the children of my brother, would be associated with that," Tsarni said.

When asked what he thought provoked the men, Tsarni said, "Being losers -- hatred to those who were able to settle themselves. These are the only reasons I can imagine. Anything else to do with religion or Islam -- it's a fraud. It's a fake. He put a shame on the Tsarnis family. He put a shame on the entire Chechen ethnicity."

Tsarni described the family as Muslim ethnic Chechen and rejected any suggestion that Monday's bombings were related to the religious beliefs of his nephews.

Miller reported Tsarni meant self-hatred, not for the U.S., but for not being able to achieve what they wanted.

Tsarni said his immediate family arrived in the U.S. and settled in Maryland in 2005. He said his family has nothing to do with the family of the suspects.

"Of course we're ashamed. They're children of my brother, who had little influence on them, as much as I know," he said. "I respect this country. I love this country. This country gives chances to everybody else to be treated as a human being."

Tsarni said he did not know if the men were involved in any sort of military training.

Miller said according to Tsarni, the men's father described Dzhokhar Tsarnaev as "very smart and very resourceful."

Miller reported that there are other family members in the suburban community of Montgomery Village and along with family, neighbors were also shocked by the developments. She said Tsarni and his family were highly thought of in the neighborhood and were hardworking people.

The dual bombings at the Boston Marathon on Monday killed three people and injured more than 170, several critically.

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